Association Between Renalase Gene Polymorphism (rs2296545) and Hypertension in Egyptian Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Background Renalase gene polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of essential hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. One of these polymorphisms is a common missense (rs2296545) polymorphism, which was reported to be related to hypertension. The aim of this work was to investigate the possible relation between renalase gene polymorphism (rs2296545) and hypertension in patients with CKD patients. Subjects and methods Ninety patients were included in this case-control study: 30 normotensive CKD patients, 30 hypertensive CKD patients, and 30 apparently healthy controls. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from peripheral whole blood, and renalase gene (rs2296545) polymorphism was genotyped in all patients and controls by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% CIs were calculated. Results We found that the CC genotype and the C allele renalase (rs2296545) were statistically associated with the risk of CKD (OR= 9.4; 95%CI 1.2-7.2; P= 0.036) and (OR= 3.78; 95%CI 1.57-9.08; P= 0.003), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the hypertensive CKD patients and the controls regarding the CC genotypes and the C allele, (26.7% versus 3.3%, P= 0.018) and (40% versus 11.7%, P< 0.001) for the CC genotype and the C allele, respectively. The mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher in the normotensive CKD patients with the CC genotype compared to other genotypes (P= 0.014 and P= 0.022, respectively) and also were higher in hypertensive CKD patients with the CC genotype when compared to other genotypes (P= 0.001 for both). Conclusion This study demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the renalase gene (rs2296545) CC genotype and the C allele in CKD patients, especially hypertensive CKD.

Comparative efficacy of intralesional 5 flurouracil and intralesional triamcinolone acetonide in localized plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a papulosquamous disorder that causes significant social and psychological trauma to the patient. It is characterized by the presence of erythematous, indurated plaques covered with silvery-white scales. Despite the availability of several systemic agents that have been approved for the treatment of psoriasis, usually there are some residual lesions and there is a need to treat them for cosmetic reasons or symptomatic control. 1. Treatment of resistant localized psoriatic plaques or residuals after systemic treatment. 2. Recently, some intralesional agents have been used successfully for the treatment of psoriatic plaques as 5-FU, methotrexate, and botulinum toxin type-A, and nearly for four decades, no study focused on the effect of intralesional corticosteroids in the treatment of these psoriatic plaques. We decided to highlight their role and compare intralesional Triamcinolone to intralesional 5-FU regarding efficacy and safety in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. This study included 24 patients with localized plaque psoriasis. Each patient was treated by split-body therapy where one psoriatic plaque was treated with intralesional 5FU and another plaque with intralesional TAC. A total of three injections were given at 2-week intervals and follow up was regularly every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks. There was a statistically significant difference between both groups (p = 0.008) as the response rate on 5-FU side was 12.5% with no response, 29.2% with a moderate response, 41.7% with an excellent response, and 16.7% with a complete clearance, while on the TAC side it was16.7% with a moderate response, 20.8% with an excellent response and 62.5% with a complete clearance. Hyperpigmentation was the most irritating side effect of 5-FU that occurred. Pain, during and after injection, was greater in 5-FU group. Hypopigmentation and atrophy only occurred in TAC group in some patients but it seems to be reversible and not disfiguring. 1-Intralesional TAC injection may have more efficacy and less side effects than 5-FU injection in the treatment of localized plaque psoriasis. Hyperpigmentation and pain were the most irritating side effects of 5-FU 2-Intralesional TAC can be effective in the treatment of localized psoriatic plaques with minimal side effects, especially in patients not suitable for systemic agents.

Prevalence of Hypopigmentary Disorders in Primary School Children in Zagazig City, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic data derived from population-based studies are very important to understand human diseases and their implications. Highlighting skin problems by identifying their incidence and prevalence is vital to direct suitable medical attention toward them. AIM: The aim of the study was to detect the prevalence and most common causes of hypopigmentation in primary school children in Zagazig City. METHODS: Cross-sectional study on 185 students selected from two schools. Data were collected by filling a questionnaire, clinical examination, and Wood's light examination to detect hypopigmented skin disorders. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypopigmentation among studied population was 45.4%; the commonest cause was pityriasis alba 58.3%, followed by pityriasis versicolor 17.9%, postinflammatory hypopigmentation 10.7%, hypopigmented nevus 9.5%, and finally 3.6% vitiligo. CONCLUSION: Hypopigmented skin disorders are important and easy to diagnosis skin diseases that need medical attention.

Evaluation of Galectin3 levels in psoriatic patients treated by narrow-band UVB phototherapy.

Background: Psoriasis-specific proteins dysregulated in keratinocytes and involved in the pathophysiological process of psoriasis remains elusive.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the serum and tissue levels of Galectin3 in patients with psoriasis vulgaris before and after narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy.Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional case-control. This study included 30 patients with psoriasis Vulgaris and 20 healthy individuals. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score were used to evaluate the patients with psoriasis Vulgaris before and after treatment. All patients were treated two times per week for 3 months with NB-UVB phototherapy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess serum levels of galectin 3 of the healthy control subjects and psoriatic patients before and after treatment by NB-UVB phototherapy.Results: The serum level of galectin 3 was significantly lower in patients with psoriasis Vulgaris versus healthy control subjects (p value < .001). There was a significant increase in the serum levels of Galectin 3 and decrease in PASI scores after 3 months of treatment with NB-UVB phototherapy in patients with psoriasis Vulgaris (p value < .001).Conclusions: This study concluded that NB-UVB phototherapy for 3 months in patients with psoriasis Vulgaris was an essential method for decreasing PASI scores and an increase in the serum levels of galectin 3.

Genetic variants of interferon-gamma and its mRNA expression and inflammatory parameters in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.

Although genetics plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, vitiligo pathogenesis is still unclear. Our aim was to investigate the role of IFN-γ expression and polymorphism in vitiligo susceptibility and whether intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and TNF-ß play a role in vitiligo pathogenesis as important inflammatory parameters. Eighty-five patients with vitiligo and 90 controls were investigated for IFN-γ gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR and genotyped for IFN-γ +874T/A (rs2430561) and IFN-γ +2109A/G (rs1861494) gene polymorphisms by sequence-specific primer (SSP)-PCR and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), respectively. Serum levels of inflammatory parameters were measured using ELISA. Frequencies of the +874 TT genotype and T allele were significantly higher in patients with active vitiligo than in stable patients (P = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). Calculation of odds ratio suggested a 1.7-fold increased risk of vitiligo in individuals having the TA haplotype. We observed overexpression of IFN-γ mRNA with elevated serum levels of IFN-γ, ICAM-1, TNF-α, and TNF-ß in patients with vitiligo when compared with the control group (P = 0.001, for all). In addition, these levels were elevated in patients with active vitiligo compared with stable patients with vitiligo (P = 0.008, 0.006, 0.01, 0.01, and 0.03, respectively), which suggests the involvement of these cytokines in disease activity. In conclusion, IFN-γ is a promising immunological marker in vitiligo pathogenesis.

Doppler versus Histopathology in the Assessment of Egyptian Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Acitretin.

Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases, characterized by erythema and the formation of plaques. The diagnosis of psoriasis is based on clinical examination, and its severity is assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Histologic examination is still the standard method for the final diagnosis. Sonography has proved to be a suitable noninvasive imaging method for studying soft tissue in dermatologic diseases such as psoriasis. This study evaluated the effect of Doppler sonography in the assessment of psoriasis in comparison with histopathology. Clinical, multifrequency sonography, and histological examinations were completed in 30 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis before and after acitertin treatment. After a 12-week treatment period, there was a notable decrease of psoriatic plaques in 28 patients with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index-1 severity and in two patients with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index-2 severity. Multifrequency sonography results after treatment of the same plaques showed normal finding in five patients, mild sonographic changes in 24 patients, and moderate sonographic changes in one patient. Histopathology findings after treatment were normal epidermis and dermis in six patients, mild histopathological changes in 22 patients, and moderate changes in two patients. In conclusion, there were significant correlations between sonography and histopathology in the diagnosis and evaluation of a psoriatic skin treatment regimen.

Treatment of striae distensae with needling therapy versus CO2 fractional laser.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Striae are atrophic dermal scars with overlying epidermal atrophy causing cosmetic concern. This study assesses and compares the efficacy and safety of needling therapy versus CO2 fractional laser in treatment of striae. METHODS: Twenty Egyptian female patients with striae in the abdomen and lower limbs were involved in the study. The patients were treated with needling therapy and CO2 laser every 1 month for 3 sessions. Follow-up by digital photography and skin biopsy was conducted at baseline and 6 months after treatment. Clinical improvement was assessed by comparing photographs and patient's satisfaction before and after treatment. RESULTS: Nine of 10 (90%) needle-treated patients showed improvement. Among them, 3 (30%) had good, 4 (40%) had fair, and 2 (20%) had poor improvements; however, 1 (10%) did not show any improvement after the treatment. In CO2-laser treated patients, 5 of 10 (50%) of the patients showed clinical improvement; 1 (10%) were good, 3 (30%) were fair, and 1 (10%) were poor; however, 5 (50%) did not show improvement. CONCLUSION: The results support the use of microneedle therapy over CO2 lasers for striae treatment.